In certain instances, a network operator may desire to implement call tracing for finding signaling messages of a call sequence associated with a particular endpoint identifier, such as a telephone number. The operator may initiate call tracing by entering the telephone number into a workstation in communication with a network monitoring device. The network monitoring device is operable to copy and store signaling messages communicated between network elements in the network environment. The entered telephone number is then utilized to search the signaling messages stored in the network monitoring device for finding the signaling messages of a call sequence associated with the entered telephone number.
Typically, a call trace begins when an operator enters a telephone number. Next, a call trace application may search the stored signaling messages for a signaling message with a telephone number field including the entered telephone number. The located signaling message is a message in a call sequence associated with the entered telephone number and includes information for finding another signaling message in the call sequence. For example, in a provide roaming number transaction, the located message may be a GSM mobile application part (MAP) message transmitted from a mobile switching center (MSC) to a home location register (HLR) for requesting that the HLR send routing information for a mobile subscriber. Information, such as TCAP transaction ID, may be extracted from the located message for finding another specific type of signaling message in the call sequence associated with the entered telephone number. The call trace application identifies the end of a call sequence based on the specific message type. For example, an ISDN user part (ISUP) IAM message may indicate the end of a call trace sequence for a provide roaming number transaction.
Currently, call tracing is implemented by searching for specific types of messages in a specific order. For example, there are many different scenarios that are possible for tracing a call and each scenario must be programmed in a call trace application to enable the application to implement call tracing for each of the possible scenarios. Implementing such a call tracing technique results in increased programming complexity and reduced processing efficiency.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide generic call tracing methods and systems for reducing programming complexity and increasing processing efficiency.